While those of you in the States are celebrating Memorial Day, we here in Europe are also celebrating a holiday for Pentecost. So Donica is officially off work in both places for a change.
Because of the long weekend, we made the decision to take a day-trip to nearby Leiden this past Saturday. It was a 40-minute train ride each way, 25 miles (40km) SW of Amsterdam. Leiden is a university town (the first in Holland, from 1575) where the Pilgrims lived before they ventured to Plymouth Rock. It's also where Rembrandt was born and developed his painting skills.
Because of the long weekend, we made the decision to take a day-trip to nearby Leiden this past Saturday. It was a 40-minute train ride each way, 25 miles (40km) SW of Amsterdam. Leiden is a university town (the first in Holland, from 1575) where the Pilgrims lived before they ventured to Plymouth Rock. It's also where Rembrandt was born and developed his painting skills.
As we came out of the train station and headed towards town, I was struck by how modern the structure is. So unlike the other train stations I've been used to in Europe!
But the rest of the city was NOT modern and did not disappoint us. The town hall (above) is from the 17th century.
We did a two-hour self-guided walking tour in 3+ hours but before that, we took a 40-minute canal ride around the city. We passed by this observatory, which is Europe's second oldest, next to the one in St. Petersburg.
Because this is where Rembrandt was born in 1606, he is everywhere on huge murals/posters wherever a structure can hold him. And I mean everywhere! I'm guessing they really spruced up the city last year for his 400th anniversary!
The Hooglandse Kerk was founded in 1314 as a wooden chapel, dedicated to St. Pancras. In 1366 construction on a gothic church was begun, but never finished.
We saw so many wonderful things in our 5 hours in Leiden, but as you'd imagine, nothing thrilled me more than the 2 windmills in town (and one we saw on the outskirts from the train but which I didn't capture). As I told Donica, this first one near the tourist office was worth the entire trip. I could have died and gone to heaven at that very point!
These are my first windmills in Holland this year...and NOT from Amsterdam. And you're seeing them first here before I show them on my photoblog!
So, that was our holiday treat for this weekend. I wonder if YOU did anything special? And if you remembered anyone who died in miltary service to our country?
My sister, Ruth, reminded me that our paternal grandfather served in the Civil War (1861-65). Pay attention, now, because even I find this hard to believe. He was 70 when Dad was born in 1917 (Dad's mom was 47!) and died 9 years later (so I obviously never met him!). While he did not die in the Civil War, I do "remember" him for his service to our country.
And I'm remembering Barkley Bowman, who died in the Viet Nam War back in the '60s. He was in our InterVarsity group at Michigan and I dated him once. One day I want to go to the Viet Nam Memorial in D.C. and trace his name with my finger.
Let's not forget. And God help us, please, to learn the lessons we need to be learning from all these wars!
My sister, Ruth, reminded me that our paternal grandfather served in the Civil War (1861-65). Pay attention, now, because even I find this hard to believe. He was 70 when Dad was born in 1917 (Dad's mom was 47!) and died 9 years later (so I obviously never met him!). While he did not die in the Civil War, I do "remember" him for his service to our country.
And I'm remembering Barkley Bowman, who died in the Viet Nam War back in the '60s. He was in our InterVarsity group at Michigan and I dated him once. One day I want to go to the Viet Nam Memorial in D.C. and trace his name with my finger.
Let's not forget. And God help us, please, to learn the lessons we need to be learning from all these wars!
